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Two PA gymnasts place high at Western Canada Cup

Jun 19, 2013 | 7:38 AM

Two Prince Albert boys combined for four medals last week at the Western Canada Cup gymnastics tournament in Port Moody, B.C.

Prince Albert Aerials gymnast Connor Pritchard took home a pair of gold medals in trampoline and tumbling, while teammate Brent Ertman earned silver medals in the same events.

Pritchard considers his strengths in tumbling and wasn’t sure how brightly his trampoline skills would shine at the Western Canada scale. When he was awarded a gold in that, he was quite surprised.

“I was really surprised to get first in tramp,” said Pritchard, 15, after his third Western Canada Cup. “It felt really good after I got the award because I know I worked (hard).”

Pritchard’s season was cut short after suffering a heel sprain earlier in the season. The injury sidelined him for about a month.

But since recovering from the injury, he’s earned a total of five medals including three at the provincials.

Although it hasn’t shown in his results, the heel injury was something Pritchard had to continually battle through.

“It took a while to get used to the feeling again,” said Pritchard. “It was sore getting back to it after not using it a lot.”

While Ertman, 14, was able to stay healthy throughout the year he was still surprised to get a pair of silver medals in his first ever Western Canada Cup.

“I knew I was going to do well, but not that well,” said Ertman. “I was happy because it was a big event and lots of competition but I still came in the top three.”

But when asked about what his favourite part about his first westerns experience was, Ertman didn’t talk about his two medals but rather connections he made with other athletes on Team Saskatchewan.

“Being there with my team and having lots of memories and laughs,” said Ertman.

Ertman qualified for the nationals in Calgary starting on July 14.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea